run-ons
Unpunctuated sentence tangles
Run-ons are sentences that improperly fuse two or more independent clauses without appropriate punctuation or conjunctions.
Grammar teachers mark them as errors: The movie was boring I fell asleep.
The term also applies to any continuation or excess that should have stopped: His speech was full of run-ons and tangents.
Written clarity symbols
- syntaxRules for arranging words
- clausesGrammatical or legal units
- conjunctionsWords that link clauses
- semicolonsMarks joining related sentences
periods · fragment · splicing · subordination · coordination · rambling · unpunctuated · endless
Lacking logical connection
- muddledIn a confused state
- disjointedLacking orderly sequence
- jumbledDisordered, lacking arrangement
- tangledTwisted confusedly together
convoluted · unclear · overwhelming · chaotic · garbled · incomprehensible · dense · impenetrable
Checking text for mistakes
- copyeditingCorrecting written material
- revisionAltering to improve
- markupAdded percentage for profit
- correctionFixing of mistakes
rewriting · splitting · restructuring · tightening · manuscript · draft
Long-winded and unfocused
- breathlessLacking air, gasping
- uninterruptedContinuing without a stop
- stream-of-consciousnessNarrative of unfiltered thought
- monologueUninterrupted solo address
rant · tirade · tangent · digression · meandering · long-winded · verbose · motor-mouth
punctuation
Written clarity symbols
- syntaxRules for arranging words
- clausesGrammatical or legal units
- conjunctionsWords that link clauses
semicolons · periods · fragment · splicing · subordination · coordination · rambling · unpunctuated · endless · breathless
incoherent
Lacking logical connection
- muddledIn a confused state
- disjointedLacking orderly sequence
- jumbledDisordered, lacking arrangement
tangled · convoluted · unclear · overwhelming · chaotic · garbled · incomprehensible · dense · impenetrable
proofreading
Checking text for mistakes
- copyeditingCorrecting written material
- revisionAltering to improve
- markupAdded percentage for profit
correction · rewriting · splitting · restructuring · tightening · manuscript · draft
rambling
Long-winded and unfocused
- breathlessLacking air, gasping
- uninterruptedContinuing without a stop
- stream-of-consciousnessNarrative of unfiltered thought
monologue · rant · tirade · tangent · digression · meandering · long-winded · verbose · motor-mouth · nonstop
- writingwriting, drafting, authors, author, books
- grammardeclension, pronouns, adjectives, conjugation, nouns
- syntaxsentence, verb, noun, adjective, adverb